This course focuses on issues relating to the franchise. The franchise is central to a democratic republic. Voting not only determines who will be in the government, it establishes the legitimacy of any government that flows from accountability to the governed. Thus, a government must establish and protect a franchise that is fairly available and fairly administered. However, this seemingly simple goal masks a wide range of problems. Some examples are redistricting and gerrymandering (both partisan and racial), questions of voter suppression, including voter ID and "purging" of rolls, campaign finance, and bribery of candidates. The course is given in seminar form for 2 credits. The grading instrument is a paper of 25-30 pages in length. Students work closely with the instructor in developing and researching a topic.
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